Apparatus for creasing textile material



April 22,1969 H. R. LESTER, JR

APPARATUS FOR CREASiNG TEXTILE MATERIAL Filed April 28, 1965 UnitedStates Patent 3,439,845 APPARATUS FOR CREASING TEXTILE MATERIAL HazenRussell Lester, Jr., Lindale, Ga., assignor to West Point-Pepperell,Inc., West Point, Ga., a corporation of Georgia Filed Apr. 28, 1965,Ser. No. 451,549 Int. Cl. D06c 15/00 US. Cl. 223-73 7 Claims Thisinvention pertains to a method of and apparatus for use in creasingtextile material, in particular, garments made from such material and,for more specific example, mens trousers. This novel method andapparatus are functionally useful in creasing garments (such astrousers) made from conventional fabrics which are predominantly ofnatural fibers, such as wool, cotton, silk or mixtures thereof informing creases which, although sharp and well-defined at first are notexpected to remain indefinitely. However, the present invention isespecially concerned with the treatment of textile material for theformation of permanent creases, for example, in the treatment of textilefabric comprising a substantial percentage of synthetic thermoplasticfibers, including stretch fabrics in which the stretch yarns arethermoplastic or of chemically treated cellulose fibers which exhibitthermoplastic properties, as well as those which have been chemicallytreated, for example, with resin, to make them wrinkle-resistant.

The creasing of trousers by the use of hot irons or by means of steampresses is still widely used. Proposals have also been made for creasingtrousers, for example, by placing within each trouser leg at creasingdevice comprising crease-defining elements so arranged as to locate thecreases and to tension the trouser leg from crease-tocrease, and then tosubject the assembly to steam and pressure, or to baking heat within acabinet or oven. How ever, none of such prior arrangements, so far as isknown, has proven entirely satisfactory, in particular, because of themanner in which the heat is applied, it being recognized that thefrequent exposure of an entire trouser leg of fine material, Whethernatural or synthetic, to the heat, moisture and pressure employed increasing, has the cumulative elfect of removing the original finish fromthe fabric and thus reducing its wear-resistance, and with respect tostretch fabrics, wherein the stretch yarns are thermoplastic, seriouslyreducing the stretch characteristics of the garment. Thus, for example,a stretch nylon denim comprising an all-cotton Warp and 100% texturednylon filament filling may readily be creased simply by applying heatand pressure such that the memory of the nylon retains the crease ratherthan the coils or undulations which were initially imposed during thetexturing of the yarn, but, when the heat and pressure are applied, inthe manner customary in creasing trousers, the entire leg, as well asthat part of the leg involved in the crease, loses the original stretchcharacteristics in whole or in part. In accordance with the presentinvention, wherein the heating effect is applied locally, only to thearea where the crease is desired, loss of stretch in the garment as awhole is avoided.

The present invention has for its object the provision of a novel methodof and apparatus such as to facilitate the forming of creases, eithertemporary or permanent, in textile fabric, including wrinkle-resistantand stretch fabrics, more especially in a trouser leg, with a minimum ofdamage to the material as a whole.

In the attainment of this object, the invention contemplates the use ofapparatus comprising crease-defining elements so devised as themselvesto apply heat either dry ice or moist, so localized at those lines atwhich the creases are desired as substantially to avoid the heating ofsurrounding areas.

While the use of crease-defining elements which are otherwise heated iscontemplated as Within the purview of the invention, a preferredapparatus for use in the practice of the invention contemplatescrease-defining elements which are electrically heated, for examplecreasedefining elements, each having embedded or housed therein anelectrical resistance unit to which current may be supplied from anysuitable source, for example through a flexible conductor. The inventionfurther contemplates the provision of means whereby the crease-definingelement may supply moisture (either as water or steam) locally to thearea to be creased as, for example, by providing the crease-definingelement with absorbent material which may be moistened just prior to theuse of the device, or by providing the crease-defining element with aninternal chamber from which water or steam may be emitted during theactual creasing operation.

Other and further objects and advantages of the invention will bepointed out in the following more detailed description and by referenceto the accompanying drawings wherein:

FIG. 1 is a side elevation of a creasing device according to onedesirable embodiment of the invention;

FIG. 2 is an edge elevation of the device of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a plan view of the device of FIG. 1, to somewhat larger scale;

FIG. 4 is a fragmentary section, to much larger scale, on the line 4-4of FIG. 1;

FIG. 5 is a view generally similar to FIG. 4, but illustrating amodification;

FIG. 6 is a similar view but showing a further modification; and

FIG. 7 is a fragmentary, diagrammatic, transverse section through atrouser leg for illustrating what is here referred to as a crease.

Referring to FIG. 7 of the drawings, there is diagrammaticallyillustrated what is commonly referred to (with reference to the creasingof the trouser leg) as a crease consisting, as shown, of a narrow foldcomprising the plies F and P which converge at a very slight acute angleand which are integrally joined at 1, whereas the parts M and M of thematerial, constituting the right and left main portions of the trouserleg, are widely spaced apart when the garment is worn.

A preferred for-m of the apparatus of the present invention is shown inside elevation in FIG. 1, this device comprising two like creasingelements 11 and 12 respectively, each here shown as of sheet material,for example stainless sheet steel and comprising the elongate bodyportions 14 and 14a respectively. These two creasing elements may beidentical in all particulars.

As shown in FIG. 4, the material forming the creasing element has a bendat 15 where the body portion 14 merges with the creasing edge structureE or E (FIG. 2), this edge structure comprising two converging portions16 and 17 which are integrally united to form a V-shaped structure aboutwhose edge 18 the material to be creased is held under tension duringthe creasing operation. Preferably, as shown, the edge 18 is rounded toa small radius to avoid damage to the fabric being treated. Asillustrated in FIG. 4, the side walls 16 and 17 of the creasing edgestructure, which converge at an acute angle, for example 40, definebetween them a vertically elongate chamber B within which there isarranged an elongate block 19 of material, desirably of electricalinsulating character, for example porcelain, this block 19 having aninternal chamber within which there is arranged an electrical heatingunit of conventional type extending substantially from end-to-end of theelement (here shown as comprising resistance elements and 21), theseresistance elements being connected, at the upper end of the device, asillustrated in FIG. 1, to a flexible conductor 22 which may lead to anysuitable source of electrical energy. As shown in FIG. 4, the block 19is held in position within the V-shaped edge structure by means of aclosure plate or bracket 23 which may, for example, be welded orotherwise secured to the side members 16 and 17 of the edge structure.It will be understood that the heating unit within the edge structure Eof the creasing element 11 will be connected as by a conductor, as shownat 23a, to a suitable source of electrical energy.

The creasing element 12 is provided at its upper end with an elongateconnector 24 (FIGS. 1 and 2), desirably integral with the body portion14 and which is substantially perpendicular to the edge 18 and providedwith an elongate slot.

The other creasing element 11 is provided with a like connector 24a alsohaving an elongate slot which is indicated at 26 (FIG. '1). At the lowerend of the member 12 there is a connector and at the lower end of thecreasing element 11 there is an elongate connector 25h. These members 25and 2511 are provided with elongate slots which receive a bolt 28provided with a wing nut, while the slots in the parts 24 and 24alikewise receive a bolt 29 provided with a wing nut. By this arrangementthe upper ends of the parts 11 and 12 may be adjusted toward and fromeach other and secured in adjusted position by tightening the wing nutand in the same way the lower ends of the parts 11 and 12 are adjustabletoward and from each other and held in adjusted position by the wing nuton the bolt 28. As will be noted by inspection of FIG. 2, the parts 11and 12, when assembled, are of such shape, in plan, that thecrease-defining edges 18 and 18a of the edge structures E and Erespectively, are in the same vertical plane when the parts areassembled. For supporting the apparatus when in use, one or both of thecreasing elements is provided with an apertured suspension device 30(FIG. 2).

When the device is to be used for creasing a trouser leg, it isdesirable to adjust the members 11 and 12 so that the edges 18 and 18aconverge downwardly to a slight extent (as shown in FIG. 1) according tothe taper of a trouser leg. Before using the device, the parts 11 and 12should be so relatively adjusted that when the device is pushed downinto a trouser leg the material of the trouser leg will be drawn tautlyabout the edges 18 and 18a by the simple act of forcing of the devicedown into the trouser leg. The tension to which the fabric is thussubjected, causes the fabric to press firmly against the creasing edgestructures.

When the device is thus positioned, the heating units in the two edgestructures E and E will be supplied with current so that the edgestructures are heated. Desirably (although not here shown), provisionmay be made, as by the employment of a conventional thermostat, wherebythe crease-defining edge structures may be held at that predeterminedtemperature which is required for setting the crease in the particulartextile material being employed. With the creasing edges at thepredetermined temperature, the device may be suspended by the use of thehanger 30 and allowed to remain in this situation for such a period oftime as has been determined requisite to set the crease.

It will be noted that, with this apparatus, only that portion of thetrouser leg which is to form the crease is subjected to thecrease-setting temperature.

In using the device, as above described, it may be desirable, before orafter placing the trouser leg on the device, to moisten that portion ofthe trouser leg which is to be creased, as by the use of a wet sponge.However, a modification of the device, as shown in FIG. 5, provides forlocally moistening this particular part of the trouser leg concomitantlywith the operation of setting the crease. For this purpose the edgestructure is provided with a pad P, for example, of sponge or foamrubher or plastic which may be secured to the edge structure in anydesired manner, for example, by a suitable adhesive, and which may bemoistened before introducing the device into the trouser leg, so that,as the creasing device is heated, vapor or steam will be evolved anddirectly moisten that part of the trouser leg, only, which is to becreased.

In a further modification, as shown in FIG. 6, the structure isgenerally similar to that of FIG. 4, but the block 19 is provided withan internal chamber 32 to which liquid may be supplied in any desiredmanner and from which small ports 33 extend outwardly through the walls16 and 17 of the edge structurerThus, by supplying the chamber 32 withwater before the start of the operation, that part, only, of the trouserleg which is to be creased may be moistened while the creasing operationis being performed.

While the slot and bolt arrangement here shown, as a means for varyingthe width of the device, is simple, easy to manipulate and cheap tomanufacture, it is contemplated, as within the purview of the invention,that other means, including springs or toggles might be employed insubstitution for the slot and bolt arrangement. Likewise, instead ofinternal heating means, the apparatus could be used effectively bysuspending it in a highfrequency electrical field whereby the metallicedge structures E and E could quickly be raised to the desiredtemperature.

As above suggested, the apparatus here disclosed is of notable utilityin the creasing of material which has been pretreated to make itwrinkle-resistant. For example, a 50% polyester-50% cotton fabrictreated with a resinous or cellulose reactant formulation of the delayedcure type may be cut and made up into a pair of slacks but not pressed.Then, instead of pressing creases into the legs of the garment, acreasing apparatus, such as that herein disclosed, would be introducedinto each leg of the garment, after having been adjusted, so that inintroducing the device the material of the garment leg would be drawnsnugly about the creasing edges. Heat would then be supplied, as abovesuggested, so as to raise the several creasing elements to a temperaturewhich, in the specific example just referred to, should be approximately330 F. and this temperature should be maintained for approximately 15minutes.

During this curing operation the fabric shrinks and thus tightens itselffirmly about the creasing edge structures E and E and at the same timeresin or reactant formulation cross-links with the cellulose portion ofthe fabric. Likewise, garments of stretch fabric may be permanentlycreased without damage to the uncreased portions.

At the completion of the treatment the creasing apparatus is removedfrom each of the garment legs, thus leaving a permanently creasedgarment but without the use of pressing or other customary proceduresfor forming the creases. It is understood, of course, that in accordancewith the particular substances employed for making the fabricwrinkle-resistant and in accordance with the material of the fabricitself, various times and temperatures would be required all within theskill of those conversant with the art to insure permanence of thecreases.

While certain desirable embodiments of the invention have herein beendescribed and illustrated by way of example, it is to be understood thatthe invention is broadly inclusive of any and all modifications fallingwithin the scope of the appended claims.

I claim:

1. Apparatus for creasing textile fabric comprising a creasing elementof sheet material having converging portions which are joined to form aV-shaped edge structure, heating means located within said V-shaped edgestructure, means whereby the textile fabric may be held in contact withsaid edge structure, and means whereby 5 moisture may be applied to thatportion, only, of the material which contacts said edge structure.

2. Creasing apparatus for use in creasing a trouser leg, said apparatuscomprising a pair of creasing elements, each having a V-shapedcrease-defining edge structure, means for heating the crease-definingedge, only, of each of said elements, and means so connecting saidelements that said edges may be relatively adjusted to a taper such thatwhen the apparatus is introduced into a trouser l g, the material of thetrouser leg will be strained tautly about said respective edges.

3. Apparatus according to claim 2, further characterized in that each ofsaid creasing elements houses an electrical heating unit extendingsubstantially from one end to the other of the respective creasingelements, and means for supplying electrical current to each of saidheating units.

4. Apparatus according to claim 2, further characterized in that theconnecting means for unitizing the creasing elements is so devised thatthe distance between the crease-defining edges may be variedindependently at opposite ends of the apparatus.

'5. Apparatus according to claim 2, further characterized in havingmeans associated with each respective crease-defining edge structure forsupplying moisture to the material of the trousers leg while held tautabout said edge structure.

6. Apparatus according to claim 5, wherein the means for supplyingmoisture comprises a pad of absorbent material constituting theeffective outer surface of the V- shaped edge structure.

7. Apparatus according to claim 5, further characterized in that forsupplying moisture to the material held tensioned about said V-shapededge structures, each of said V-shaped edge structures has a chamber fora moistening liquid, and each V-shaped edge structure is provided withescape ports through which moistening liquid may pass from the conduitoutwardly into direct contact with the trouser leg material which isheld taut about the crease-defining edge structures.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,487,657 11/1949 Larson et a122373 2,759,645 8/ 1956 Nordblom 22374 1,501,307 7/1924 Boyuls 223731,866,173 7/1932 Raus 22373 1,277,010 8/1918 Wenzel 22363 2,205,136 6/1940 Eisenberg 22.3-63 1,243,176 10/1917 Hlubucek 22373 2,245,665 6/1941 Hanson 22373 HERBERT F. ROSS, Primary Examiner.

G. V. LARKIN, Assistant Examiner.

1. APPARATUS FOR CREASING TEXTILE FABRIC COMPRISING A CREASING ELEMENT OF SHEET MATERIAL HAVING CONVERGING PORTIONS WHICH ARE JOINED TO FORM A V-SHPAED EDGE STRUCTURE, HEATING MEANS LOCATED WITHIN SAID V-SHAPED EDGE STRUCTURE, MEANS WHEREBY THE TEXTILE FABRIC MAY BE HELD IN CONTACT WITH SAID EDGE STRUCTURE, AND MEANS WHEREBY MOISTURE MAY BE APPLIED TO THAT PORTION, ONLY, OF THE MATERIAL WHICH CONTACTS SAID EDGE STRUCTURE. 